March 30, 2007

So many people say that exercise is something that they give themselves a break from during their vacation, but how about a different idea? How about a walking vacation? Wendy Bumgardner at About.com has the story:

She gives you all the basics: how to plan a walking vacation, how to pack for one and where to go. If you are sick of coming back from vacation with five pounds of extra weight, try something different instead. Plan a vacation where you lose five pounds instead!

Well, it’s not really Dracula’s Castle, it turns out. It was never owned by Vlad the Impaler, although, he was imprisoned there for two weeks. I’ve stayed at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas for a total of several months. Does that make the Luxor Hotel the Moncur Mansion? I don’t think so.

More importantly, the castle was owned by the Romanian royal family until 1948 when it was seized by the Communists. Only recently, has it been returned to the rightful owners. They are now trying to sell it.

If you have ever considered traveling to Romania, putting this castle on your list of tours is a good idea, but you better make it quick before it is turned into a vampid tourist trap instead merely a vampire tourist attraction.

March 21, 2007

I never stayed at the Stardust hotel. I never even went inside it. I had a friend who used to swear by it, but now it is gone. You can see a film of the implosion here:

They have never blown up a hotel that I have stayed in. I live in fear for the day that they implode my beloved Luxor Hotel. I can’t bear to think about the beautiful black pyramid sinking into a heap of rubble and iron and broken glass. The way things are going, I can foresee it happening and I don’t want to think about it.

March 19, 2007

There is something about hotel room mirrors that creates a self loathing in me that devolves into pinching pimples on my face. They must use some sort of horrible lighting that makes every indication of a blemish look five times worse than the mirror in my bathroom at home.

March 14, 2007

Back in October, I received this postcard and promptly filed it away. I forgot to scan it in and post it here, but it’s here now!

The postcard reads:

“Walk on a glass bridge into the center of the world for a dazzling view of the Earth’s continents and oceans. A popular Boston attraction for over sixty years, the three-story Mapparium now includes light and sound presentations.”

“You know how it is when you go out of town. Three days feels like 10 days, but the people back home have been living their normal lives. Three days feels like one day for them. ‘What, you were gone?’ Hell yes I was gone. Gone to Georgia. GORDON Georgia.”